Spoilers for Campaign 2 episode 46.
The sounds of battle flood Yasha's ears. They are faint over the pulsing of blood in her eardrums and the stinging of her wounds. The one's that make it through are explosions from fireballs, screaming of the wounded, and guttural noises that the Wizard made after his failed ritual. Despite all of this, her focus is on the hulking Minotaur attacking Beau with two hand axes. She sees the first axe dig into Beau's shoulder while the second slashes the monk across the chest. The aasimar feels the rage bubble in her chest as she watches Beau fall to her knees.
'Not again,' the faint voice in her head calls out, 'Don't fail her again!'
Beau had become something more to Yasha. After Beau learned about Zuella she stopped flirting with Yasha so often. After the first week or so, Beau started bringing Yasha flowers to put in her book with a sad look in her eyes. When the two found themselves unable to sleep or pulling a guard shift they would talk. Beau offering up more pieces into her past and Yasha slowly mentioning how she and Zuella met, their bonding ceremony, or, on somber nights, the things Yasha has done for the Stormlord when he beckons her.
Another explosion shakes Yasha out of here reverie and back to the fight on hand. The blood dripping off of the Minotaur's axe bringing the rage back to the surface. Yelling, the barbarian rushes to flank the Minotaur before carving into his calf with Magician's Judge with reckless abandon. She then cuts into his back with the great-sword swearing as he remains upright. She hears footfalls behind her and Beau is screaming her name louder than anything else on the battlefield.
Yasha, out of the corner of her eye, sees the former wizard, now Boneclaw, behind her. She feels the claw digging into her back scraping against her spine and ribs. Darkness edges her vision. Then the other plunges into her back and razor sharp claws pierce between rib and explode out of her chest in a shower of bright red blood. In a final excruciating moment the claws are yanked out of her body. She doesn't feel the pain in her knees as she falls to them. Only darkness.
Darkness
While not a stranger to darkness, Yasha tries to avoid the darkness when she can. It brings back too many memories, or in some cases the lack thereof. The darkness that happened after the death of her wife at the hands their tribe. The darkness that overtook her after the dead bastard, Lorenzo, cut, burned, and brutalized her body for days and the darkness that followed after the manacles attached to her wrists.
Darkness that came with unconsciousness is not an unknown feeling to the barbarian either. She's taken her fair share of hits to stop her friends from getting hurt. That darkness never lasted due to a well placed healing spell from Caduceus and Jester or a potion being poured into her mouth.
Suddenly, a flash of light not too unfamiliar to the lightening that of the Stormlord.
"Yasha," a long lost voice calls out and the black and white haired Aasimar turns to the voice drinking in the sight. The dark skinned woman is smiling and gods did Yasha love that smile. She was one of the few that looked past the name Orphan-Maker and got to know the barbarian. Looked past the violence she is capable of to learn that Yasha is capable of tender kisses and passionate lovemaking.
"Yasha, why are you here," Zuella speaks in Celestial, the only tongue used in the tribe. Unconsciously, tears start falling down Yasha's face after hearing that sweet, beautiful voice. Her last memories of it were it screaming in terror as Sky Spear beat Yasha into a bloodied pulp while their tribeswomen and men slowly bleed out Zuella with swords and spears.
"I'm here for you," Yasha's broken voice answers after what feels like eternity. She takes steps on unsteady feet until she's within arms reach of her wife. Gently, the barbarian pulls Zuella into her sore arms and presses her forehead to the Zuella's. Their hands entwine Zuella's hands feeling soft compared to the battle scarred and callous hands of the barbarian. Yasha kisses her as tenderly as she did when they first fell in love.
"It's not your time," Zuella says shaking her head after the kiss ends.
Another flash of light
"You belong with them," Zuella and another familiar voice says at the same time. Without thinking, Yasha puts herself in front of Zuella to defend from the newcomer.
"Now, is that anyway to treat a friend," Molly quietly speaks as he approaches the two aasimar. Zuella's hand on her shoulder calms Yasha down and gently pushes her to the purple tiefling. "Both of you are dead," Yasha whispers out as she takes two steps to Molly, "Am I dead?"
Molly closes the distance and grabs the pale aasimar's hand, "Not yet. They're still fighting to save you. She's still fighting to save you." Molly's knowing smile feels like a twist of a dagger in her gut. Yasha turns to her wife with wide eyes.
"I didn't replace yo-," Yasha stammers out with tears flowing down her face and stops as Zuella raises her hand. "It's been seven years, love. You've mourned me for all of those years. You are not replacing me, but you've finally reached some sort of closure. It's normal to move on," Zuella places her soft hand to both sides of Yasha's face. With a look of anguish Yasha falls to her knees and her wife embraces her on the ground.
"You fought for me and now I want you to fight for her," Zuella's voice barely breaks through Yasha's soft sobs.
Bright light fills Yasha's vision for a third time
"She's fighting for you," Zuella and Molly help the barbarian to her feet. Molly wraps his scarred arms around Yasha's slightly larger form. "Go save that asshole from herself," Molly says with a grin releasing Yasha from the hug. With flourish only know to the tiefling, he grabs Yasha's hand kisses it and bows.
Yasha embraces her wife taking the time to fill her nose with the long lost scent. "The flowers are beautiful," Zuella whispers in a knowing voice into the barbarian's ear then kisses her on the cheek. Yasha kisses her once again and grabs the book from the small of her back. Zuella breaks the kiss after a moment, "It's time for you to go to her. To them."
"I love you and I want you to keep this," she says pressing the book into Zuella's hands. With a final kiss, Yasha turns away and begins to walk away from her loved ones. The barbarian feels a not so gentle slap on her ass and then hears her wife's laughing voice, "Go get her, love."
The bright light bleeds into a cloudy blue sky. The pain comes back and hits her like horse hooves to the chest. She feels the wrapped hands of Beau pulling her tight and water hits her now healed chest.
"You bitch, I thought I lost you," Beau's voice cracks with tears as she places her forehead to the aasimar's. Yasha grabs Beau's face with shaking hands and kisses the monk on the lips.
Just out of sight the sounds of coins being passes reaches their ears and an exasperated Jester shouting, "About fucking time!"
The a laugh they break their kiss and Yasha whispers to Beau, "I love you."
First time writing in a long time. Any feedback is welcome.